Exercising device



Jan. 2 ,1926. 1,571,073

R. D. TAPLING EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Feb. 25. 1922 INVENTOR ATTO RNEYPatented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ROBERT D. TAPLING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXERCISING DEVICE.

Application filed February 25, 1922. Serial No. 539,194.

provements in Exercising Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to exercising devices and more particularly to adevice in the shape of a spring shoe. The main object of the inventionis to provide a novel form of device of this character which when usedin connection with a novel form of spring staff will enable the wearerto make leaps or jumps of comparatively great length with ease, enablinghim to get'over the ground quickly and with minimum exertion. Anotherobject of this invention is to provide an exercising device as specifiedwhich comprises an attaching plate having an arcuate flat springattached thereto, and de; signed to yieldably support the wearer, thespring being tensioned in proportion to the weight of the person bywhich they are to be worn. O Q g A further object of this invention isto provide a staff to be used in connection with the improved exercisingdevice which has a yieldable ground engaging portion formed of springswhich when used in.conneetion with the improved exercising device willenable the wearer to spring and jump over the ground much ina manner inwhich a kangaroo travels. I

Other objects of the invention will appear inthe following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view illustrating the use of the improved shoe and staff.

hFig. 2 is a perspective view of the spring s 0e.

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved spring shoeexercising device comprise the sole plate 1 which may be attached in anysuitable manner to the shoe soles of the wearer. The runner or"supporting portion of the improved shoe is formed of a single strip offlat spring steel as shown at 2 and it has one end attached to the undersurfaces of the toe end of the sole 1 as shown at 3 in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. The stripof spring steel 2 curves forwardly and downwardlyfrom the attaching point 3 and is sinuously curved providing alargebowed portion at the rear end of the shoe which extends above thesole 1 and curved downwardly to the sole in a relatively short curve 4.From the relatively short curve 4 the strip 2 hf spring steel extendsthrough a strap 5 as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, whichstrap is riveted or otherwise suitablyattached to the under surfaces ofthe sole 1. From the strap 5, thestrip of spring steel curves forwardlyand downwardly and it has its end remote from the attached forward endconnected to the strip, intermediate the front curved portion 6 and therear relatively large curved portion 7 which terminates in ashort curve.The terminal 8 of the strip of resilient steel is bent forwardly to lieabove the upper surfaces of the strip and is attached thereto by a bolt9 which bolt has clamping nuts 10 mounted thereon between the end 8 andthe strip 2 to permit adjustment of the relative positions of theterminal 8 and the adjacent,

portion of the strip. The bolt 9 has a lateral extension 11- formedthereon which is bent to provide a substantially U shaped portion 12engaging over the edge of the terminal 8 as clearly shown in Fig. 4 ofthe'drawings.

A staff structure 20 is provided for use in connection with the improvedtype of shoe just described, and this staff structure comprises a handle21 which has a tail 22 attached to one end thereof. The tail 22 isformed of flat spring steel similar to that of which the runner 2 of theshoe is formed and engagement with the ground. The loop 23 of the tail22 is reinforced by springs 24 and 25 which are attached to the loop orthe handle 21 and extend across the loop for bracing the loop andincreasin the spring action thereof. In use, the sta 1 of the drawingsand used to assist in im pelling him forwardly and also as 'an aid iproper landing after the completing of a J It is, of course, to beunderstood that the invention may be constructed in other manners andthe parts associated in other rela- 20 is placed between the legs of theuser as shown in Fig.)

tionsand, therefore, I do not desire to be limited in any manner exceptas set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A spring shoe exercising device comprising a sole plate, a springrunner having one end connected to the toe end of the sole plate, andmeans slidably connecting said runner to the sole plate at the heelthereof.

2. A spring shoe exercising device comprising a sole plate, a springrunner-having one end connected to the toe end of the sole plate, meansslidably connecting said runner to the sole plate at the heel thereof,said runner extended downwardly from its slidable connection with theheel plate and having its end rigidly connected to the runnerintermediate its front and rearward portions.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a spring shoe exercising devicecomprising a sole plate, a runner formed of a single strip of fiatspring material having one end attached to the toe end of the soleplate, said runner curving sinuousl'y from its attached end, a strapattached to the under surfaces of the sole plate adjacent its heel, saidstrip of spring material extending through said strap for slidablyconnecting the runner to the rear end of the sole plate.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a spring shoe exercising devicecomprising a sole plate, a runner formed of a single strip of flatspring material having one end attached to the toe end of the soleplate, said runner curving sinuously from its attached end, a strapattached to the under surfaces of the sole plate adjacent its heel, saidstrip of spring material extending through said strap for slidablyconnecting the runner to the rear end of the sole plate, said strip ofspring material extending forwardly and curving downwardly from saidstrap and having its terminal attached to the strip intermediate thefront and rearmost curved portions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT D. TAPLING.

